The Key West Film Festival and The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation are pleased to announce the creation of the Diana King Memorial Fund, in memory of the Foundation’s founder and longtime President and Chair, an outstanding philanthropist recognized for her commitment to educational opportunities in film, television and other media, who passed away in 2019. The five-year grant from the Foundation, beginning with the 10th Anniversary of the Key West Film Festival November 17-21, 2021, will support Key West Film Festival’s annual celebration of film and filmmakers, as well as student film awards and educational initiatives.
“We are beyond grateful for this generous grant from the King Family Foundation,” says Key West Film Festival Chairman, Brooke Christian. “Creativity is alive and thriving through the challenges of the past year – we have seen it in this year’s surplus of film submissions. The Diana King Memorial Fund will help us ensure we can celebrate film, education and student filmmakers for years to come.”
Diana King grew up in the world of television, a daughter of the late Charles King (who founded King World Productions in 1964) and his wife Lucille King. King World became the leading distributor of television syndicated programming in the United States, including such iconic series as The Little Rascals, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Inside Edition and Dr. Phil. Diana began working in the accounting department of the family business in 1972, and at the time of King World’s acquisition by the CBS Corporation in 2000 served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Director.
Diana established the Foundation in 1988 to support individuals and organizations committed to educational excellence and professional development, in particular in film, television and other media. During her 30-year tenure as Board Chair and President, the Foundation awarded hundreds of scholarships to students with a focus in film, television and related media/communications studies at colleges and universities around the country, in many instances to individuals who would have been financially unable to continue their studies without this assistance. In addition, the Foundation has acted as a longtime sponsor of programs at several leading cultural and educational institutions around the country.
About the Key West Film Festival
Honoring creativity, diversity, sustainability and beauty, the Key West Film Festival is an annual celebration of film and filmmakers set to take place November 17-21, 2021.
A diverse, entertaining and artistically rigorous selection of films will be represented through a broad array of categories that offer opportunities for filmmakers, both aspiring and established, to commune and exchange ideas while showing their work to audiences in an historic and artistically vibrant tropical paradise.
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